Eficiencia de la desulfuración del biogás mediante biofiltración empleando soportes orgánicos

Abstract

Biofilters of upward flow (packing volume: 2.4 L) were designed using compost, compost-humus mixtures and compost-sawdust, to evaluate their efficiency as microbial-organic filters of the H2S of the biogas obtained in a tubular biodigester of the Model Center of Waste Treatment of the UNALM. The influence of the biogas flow variables was investigated: 0.5 and 1 L min-1 and contaminant concentrations: 750, 2700 and 3500 ppmv, on the percentage of removal (% RE) and the elimination capacity (CE) of H2S in each support, obtaining CE maximum of 25.2; 90.6 and 114 g H2S m-3h -1 and % RE greater than 98%. It is worth noting the tolerance to fasting and the rapid recovery of the media which without the addition of inoculum, water or nutrients presented adequate characteristics to act as support: neutral pH, humidity around 50%, porosity between 80 and 83%, apparent density between 0.25 and 0.37 and organic matter of 35.7; 45.45 and 45.85. The results obtained show that compost and humus, used as soil improvers, are also efficient means for the removal of H2S from biogas, improving its use as energy, mainly for the vulnerable populations of the agricultural and agroindustrial. evaluated.

Keywords

• biofilters
• h2s removal
• biogas
• desulfurization
• organic support.